I thought this recipe up a few weeks ago and finally got around to making it. Wow! It’s even better than I dreamed it would be! I start with a shortbread crust, then a top it with deep dark chocolate, and then add one more layer of sweet and tart berries gently set with gelatin. I thought that the combination would be good, but the results were even better than I expected! We really love this tart and the flavors meld very well.

I originally envisioned raspberries for the top layer, but when I went to make it, I realized I only had marionberries and they were delicious. But either would work. I used raw honey in this recipe for two layers and carefully kept it’s raw integrity by adding it in when it would not be heated.

By the way, you could easily make these into bars if you didn’t have a tart pan. Just use an 8 by 8 pan and expect the layers to be a bit thicker.

And yes, this is a recipe I consider Valentine’s day perfect!

Berry Chocolate Tart-Serves 12

I had a bit of a problem with the shortbread sticking to the bottom of the pan, so I am recommending that you use parchment paper. I am also listing this as dairy free (which it is as long as you take all of the dairy free options-like coconut oil instead of butter).

Make one recipe of shortbread-minus two tablespoons sugar. Press the dough down into either a parchment lined eight by eight pan or a parchment lined 10 inch tart pan. Follow the instructions for cooking on the shortbread recipe (you don’t need to cut before cooking).

Once the crust is cooked. Allow it to cool while you start the next step.
Chocolate Layer

4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil
3/4 cup of coconut cream, no sugar added ( if you can’t find it by itself, just take the creamy part off of the top of a can of full fat coconut milk, or, if you use coconut milk powder, make a very thick milk) or cream
1/4 cup of raw honey (or maple syrup)
Dash of unrefined salt
1 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and heat the coconut cream until just simmering. Pour over the chocolate and let sit about a minute. Stir. All of the chocolate should be melted. Add the sweetener, salt and optional vanilla, stir in.

Spread evenly over the shortbread crust and place in the freezer for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set.

I love beautiful and simple food that is nourishing to the body and the soul. I wrote Fresh: Nourishing Salads for All Seasons and Ladled: Nourishing Soups for All Seasons as another outlet of sharing this love of mine. I also love sharing practical tips on how to make a real food diet work on a real life budget. Find me online elsewhere by clicking on the icons below!

Comments

Mmm… this sounds SO good. I’ve been trying to “use up” our frozen berries (I found about 4 more gallons than I thought I had! ), and I’ve been just thawing them and tossing dark chocolate chips and cream in a bowl… might be time for a new twist!

I have noticed you use gelatin before and was curious what brand you use? (most store brand gelatin powders contain MSG) An excellent alternative is agar agar or kuzu starch both available through Eden foods.

My understanding of the issue with gelatin is that MSG naturally forms in gelatin during the process. For people really sensitive, they even sometimes react to homemade broth too! I used an all beef gelatin from Frontier (or at least, I think it was Frontier, I took it out of the package).

But yes, you could definitely use agar agra or kuzu starch, you will just need to adjust how much you use.

Hi….
Great recipe creation!
I just wanted to comment on the MSG question above if you don’t mind. The biggest deal about MSG is that it is manufactured in a lab with the intention of creating an artificial flavor for meat so that it can be used to add flavor to bland foods! In this process, it becomes an excitotoxin and is neurotoxic to the body. The naturally occurring amino acids created in a slow cooked broth, for example, is not a fair comparison to MSG. The synthetic form, which is what MSG is, is more of a left handed version to nature’s right handed, compatible version. They say that someone truly sensitive to MSG might also react to home-made broth….but the odds are, the traditionally made, food based version will be beneficial and healing.
Hope that makes sense!

I totally agree! I have a family member who was reacting to homemade broth for a while because of this issue, but he was extremely sensitive. Homemade broth is such an important part of our diet and very healing to the gut. It would be sad to go without it!

Can’t wait to try this. My favorite combination is chocolate and berries. As for the coconut cream, I have the one from Tropical Traditions in a jar – is that what you mean? It’s more of a creamy oil vs. creamy liquid (as in the top of coconut milk.)

Diffinitely gonna make this recipe. I don’t have sprouted flour for the crust, so have to figure out how to use soaked flour with this recipe….help, any suggestions? Hopefully I can figure this out, as I really would love to serve this for Valentine’s Day!

This looks like a great recipe; I noticed you used raw honey; did you use raw chocolate. I noticed you used gelatin – I assume this is thicken the mix. I am sure there is a type of seaweed – think it may be called irish moss – that can be used for similar purposes. I believe raw fooders use it a lot in dessert making. May be worth trying!

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The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.